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L Y T H R U M hyflopifolium.
Hyffop-leaved Grafs-poly.
D O D E C A N D R IA Monogynia.
G en. Char. Cal. with 12 teeth. Petals 6, infertefl
into the calyx. Capfule with 2 cells, and many
feeds.
Spec. Char. Leaves alternate, linear-lanceolate. Stamina
fix.
S y n . Lythrum hyflbpifolium. Sibth. Ox. 149.
L. Hyflopifolia. Linn. Sp. Pi. 642. Hudf. FI.
An. 206. With. Bot. Arr. 490. Relh. Cant. 183.
Salicaria Hyflopi folio latiore, & anguftiore. Ran
Syn. 367.
O n e of our rarer Englilh plants, for which we are obliged
to the Rev. Mr. Abbot of Bedford and the Rev. Mr. Hemfted
of Newmarket. It grows in pits and ditches which are partly
dried up, or in places where water has ftagnated during winter.
The root is annual, tapering, and not much branched. Stems
feveral; the principal erefit, often branched •, lateral ones fpread-
ing and curved upwards; all fquare, purplilh, fmooth, clothed
with numerous, alternate, fmooth, entire, linear-lanceolate
leaves fome of which now and then approach to an elliptical
figure! Flowers folitary, axillary, fefiile, delicate and fhort-
lived, appearing in July, purple, and of a regular figure, as we
think all true fpecies of Lythrum ought to be, though Linnaeus
has admitted fome with very unequal petals. They have generally
12 teeth to the calyx, alternately ereft and fpreading, 6
petals, and as many ftamina; but fome flowers have-only 10
teeth,*5 petals and 5 ftamina, or (as Linnaeus fays) exclude a
fixth part of the natural number in their fru&ification. The
feeds are exceedingly numerous and minute.
We have ventured, with profefior Sibthorp, to make the Lin-
naean fubftantive fpecific name into an adjective, as on former
occafions where it could be done.